>> thank you. [applause] >> thank you. thank you. thank you diane and thank you ladies and gentlemen of austin. madam chairwoman, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, it is wonderful to be here in the city of austin in the great state of texas. ..

>> i want to thank the

c-span tb for broadcasting this the event nationally. also of the historic austin country club as a gracious host. they say there are two types of people in this world. those the texans and those that wish they were texans. [laughter] i am pleased to tell you i fit in the latter category. i will start with the all-star yen accent with your decipherable texan drawl any day of the week.

there is a deal to be done i reckon. i of texas. schools, and sequestered where socialism finally struggles and the tumor cannot metastasize. with the noxious weeds that cannot take root. where confidence and swagger never. it is true we unlike any other. the archetype of america. is truly the finest quality anywhere on earth.

it serves as the beginning of the west the retirement plan. i join with you today ladies and gentlemen, and my ninth visit to the united states of america. of the human experiments even today the nation of income parable strength and unparalleled wealth and unrivaled innovation and measurable goodness. all of which coalesce and amalgamate to produce the most supreme coulter imaginable. it has captured the heart and the mind of this australian.

to shape the politics and personality. mitt makes them feel patriotic resentment maritime the criticism of the nation does not belong. everything and anything is possible. this is the land of possible. where men and women are born = and given opportunity for liberty is guaranteed, outcomes are not. to the maryland mother and father to bond under one flag to dream.

freed to risk without the consequences associated with fried to speak their mind without perfect retribution prepared to say what they think if you don't agree. the rewards of success and the and ending sniping unwilling to secure compensation then they should of philanthropy of unequal generosity with the libertarian spirit and the bounce back mentality that

speaks openly of god. more dedicated than any other. the land of the free. the home of the brave. what men stand up four. four. it is the passion of -what men . it is the passion of this country of been young and women spilt blood some others they have never met before inexperience the glorious freedom. the mere mention of america with proletarian ambitions

so it must continue. you might be wondering why the non-american speaks with such reverence. >> with their steady and support of this country. the answer with america goes the world. this nation, this idea is strong that this nation suffers in the world suffers with it. the greatest moral imperative of our time.

for americans and non americans alike. black, white hispanics and europeans. for men and women and children of all ages everywhere and anywhere. from the land they call america transcend, it is an idea. those who desire opportunity to require freedom. those that aspire to tierney to mediocrity 14 government. floor without america as we know it the world would be un prix at the mercy of

socialism and radical islam. only america stands of the way. mine is a story only possible here only in america. in three short years that achieving recognize will eclipse those accrued of the 25 years of my life. after hardworking parents and australia both with european routes gave me every opportunity imaginable. i was the dream child. [laughter] today with the marvels of technology they can watch this in australia.

they taught me to dream. to never give up. my father and still did me not to have any master. mother instill the need to care and protect those weaker than i. they taught me the purchase of confidence at the expense of the perception of arrogance to make the most of every second of life. i am proud to say i have done that as much as possible. i live in australia and travel to america of frequently. it may sound strange but i often feel as if i were an american trapped in the list trillion body.

[laughter] and such is my empathy and caprice station for american culture -- appreciation from american culture. don't get me wrong. i love my country dearly. and to pay the ultimate sacrifice itoh almost all that i am to australia. it is a victim as the country perhaps the greatest those that wish to lead to color between the lines without the appetite for risk. australians can also be harsh and they're outspoken.

donating copies of my first book to the library of my university the largest in the southern hemisphere and i was declined, it hurt me deeply. but was not asked back to my school after being elected to the local governing authority. when i submitted opinion piece after opinion piece the media publication could not get a single break. for years these disappointed. that is just the way i have learned to except. do you want to know something? today my book sits on the

selwyn -- the shelf of the u.s. library of congress largest library in the world. [applause] in today high-school across the nation north to south minyanville my in box with speaking request. this is being broadcast into the living rooms of 100 million households across the continental united states. that is what happens when the audience is open and committed to individuals.

today americans that can count as true friends such as the jule listed believe between good and evil with a witness making the mark demand. clarity is the enemy of the meek. silence of the disagreement is there friend. to them, the contributions are not on the and will come but tim britcom at irritable and inflammatory. from the prairies of illinois to the riverbanks of missouri, there is rightfully no conformity.

from an early age american child is unaccompanied. they'll be uniform america wears americans understand the simple arithmetic that which groupthink delivers mediocrity, individualism drives innovation and creativity. ladies and gentlemen, we find ourselves today and a culture war waged by men and women who wish to change the way we think, the way we speak, the way we interact, the way we live our lives. they do it parcels coming universities, it is a war

that pits women against men. minorities against their new homeland. the same war that makes the educated american man working 70 hours per week your in and year out to accomplish something in his five feel as if he is presented. a war of christian values have no place in this world. that no culture is better than any other. one set of values, one model worth. the war that encourages, foster's, harbors and empowers radical islam. more whose casualty will ultimately be the western world, marked by words.

our war is with these people as much as it is it with those extremism from the events of september 11. america is the one hope for the world. the only shield, the only hedge of protection. the one bloodline to make sure that no enemy can cross. it has the model, the values, the culture, the freedom and constitution. america is a conservative idea in a sea of socialism. america's values are conservative. america favors the individual. e. pluribus unum. israel to palestine and christianity man with the

rest of the world only the ex the government employee that was found on the opposite premise. the same conservative values and these principles to see the world through the storm. i know you are hurting. i know you are falling behind. the well oiled has become sluggish. organize bought turned a slovenly. optimism shifted to survival. the debt is historic the rise of china, the attack on your embassy.

exceptional fields that you even now. you have the piano of wall pianos on your back. right now it seems fruitless. i can tell you one thing. my country and others others, everyone has written you off. they say we already live in the post american world. america as in time has expired is a client and finished. that is what the international media tell us, the politicians tell us. it is time to prepare and realign for a world where

america does not count. it is time at and for the chinese and to change the way we see the world. every time i hear this i think just you wait. [applause] just you wait until the americans respond to the timeless agreed that says come and take it. just wait until the recapture there mojo. just you wait until they elected a president, one that does not aspire to the european model integrated before our very eyes. [applause] just you wait until they

step out of their pickup truck. [laughter] with their shoulders back and head held high declaring i am coming back better and bigger than before. just you wait. [applause] i will tell you this. there's so many wonderful americans doing so many great things. your only cover five minutes away from renaissance. this is not only an attractive but un-american. in this country, more than any other, you get to choose the song of your nation and the song of your life.

get your song back. put it in your heart and get your mojo working again. the cannot prepare for defeat but expect to live in victory. shake it off. of perversity comes great opportunities. the information age that leads the world in a way some remarkable raised by giants such as hewlett-packard, i am, a general electric and microsoft that originated in tough times. denied just hunker down or hang on or survive but they conquered the storm.

that is what you have to do. anything is possible if you believe and have faith. they cannot break you. they cannot topple you. believe you are called. believe your chosen. believe you are each equipped. believe that you can. because you can. you have done a before. you will do it again. listen. do not choose to be a common man. it is your right to be on common. if you can seek opportunity me there to take a calculated risk, the dream, and build to succeed burt refused to barter. prefer the challenges of

life of of guarantees security of the filament to the state of calm utopia up. to not trade freedom for your dignity for a handout. do not file before any master. it is your heritage to stand erect, proud, and unafraid. speak and act for yourself. enjoy the benefits of your creation and and declare i am a free american. thank you ladies and gentlemen. god bless you. god bless the united states of america. [applause] has thank you very much.

[applause] ladies and gentlemen, i will be more than happy to take any questions that you may have. i will be happy to answer the question as best i can. give me the courtesy of saying your name and where you live. i would appreciate that very much. no questions? >> i said it all. [laughter] [applause] >> i have been and 144

countries. i was just in australia. in borneo they tell us they live and breathe america up. i had no idea. i was dumbfounded and they also said they love obama. >> i don't. >> with the comments it makes me wonder how at 28, you love us so much? i have been there three times but i love this country more. >> it is a very good question. unfortunately there are a

lot of people around the world that consider president barack obama to be a good president. and he is healthy for this state of the american nation. i profoundly disagree bribe believe america is exceptional and deserves the exceptional president. my greatest issue with the obama is it his interview were he was directly asked whether or not he believed in american exceptional the semper pro his response was telling. yes. i believe in america and exceptional was so much like of british might believe in british exceptional as of. ladies and gentlemen, there can only be applied exceptional progress would

appear with that statement that his actionsand the administration they have subscribed fully to the doctrine of relativism that there is no one superior to any other. we should not consider one way better than another. not only do i think that is weak but i think it is wrong and it is not a sign of a nation that has done so much for the world and is the model to which every nation should and must aspire to five. >> with 84 we here. i have a 20 year-old son and that is interested in politics. i also work in the student

housing industry. each year at the the young people are more disinterested and disenfranchised with politics. i admire you. you are 28 and a very passionate about our country and politics. what will use say to our generation of children reduce seemed disinterested that have lost their desire for politics? to get them involved with america ugh to rebuild our nation? >> thank you michelle for those kind words. it is so incredibly important that the next generation of americans understand what is at stake.

that they understand the awesome responsibility that will be bequeathed to them. they will be the owners of a nation that has so much to offer the world to move the world than any direction to have the most amazing impact on people's lives. once they understand the magnitude of that responsibility that is when restart have that generation of americans knowing what needs to be done. the next generation of americans need to be told the truth that america has everything to be proud of and nothing to be ashamed

of. the most individualistic, optimistic, patriotic, religious and libertarian nation in the history of the world. if it is to remain a superpower of the world than it needs to retain each of those aspects that truly make it exceptional. they need to hear something then what they hear in the classroom. other than what they hear when they go to the tutorial at universities. they need to hear the truth that is the casualty of the awful acts of people with a goal to begin america. they got what they need.

it is so imperative that the young people that will be beekley eighth know what is at stake and no they had the most incredible founding imaginable. all the half to do to keep there country great is exercise fidelity. fidelity to the visions. to the documents like the declaration of independence. that is where america's true genius is. [applause] >> i am carl up.

i have a personal question. do you find it odd ameritech , the republic has elected a president that is so immersed in communism from his grandparents grandparents, mother, father , a mentor, surrounding aids ? that is a big question how someone can support with such a strong communist connection. [applause] >> thank you for the question. it is one that all of us want to know the answer. if people right around the world to have america's best interest at heart. i am not convinced win the

president was elected was good for america. it is true i hate now to with conservative people but my feeling is having been to almost half of the states. i do know that there are 50. [laughter] [applause] my feeling is it is much further to the right which makes the obama election more bizarre. the only possible if permission is having read his books getting to know the greatest country in the world. he makes himself sound like a republican.

like a true american. you very cleverly three stories, language, portrays the idea he is a regular guy. bill clinton and he is not. he is a long way from a bill clinton. america it is a divided place. read state's 10 to be my favorite place to be. but i know there are strongholds where president obama has enormous support. i would like to say we could

not that down coming on the back of a tumultuous time when america was in turmoil turmoil, looking for someone who represented hope and his abilities and through his message could sell himself us something he was not. that is the best i can offer [applause] >> and have one question. also books are for sale. i forgot to announce this is c-span2 booktv it is a

schedule usually shown on the weekend. how can our nation survive in with the journalistic we've challenged press. [laughter] dedicated to protecting the election chances of a political party intent on destroying our country? >> i have the same question this morning. it is one that all of us have on our lips. is tough. the media in america and mr. dalia is so long it is not funny. has lost object to the, it has lost its luster and the truth. some the this profoundly disturbing. there's only one way to do

with it. they're going to universities those from the university of texas. [laughter] but there are lots of journalistic universities and being educated by people that want to do harm to america. they want america to go down the left path. that cannot stand israel. to understand rather journalist are coming from

to do they do they are indoctrinated. it is difficult to turn to reverse the tide. we need to encourage the next generation of americans that journalism is a worthy cause they should look for careers in the media. no doubt about it. i love fox news you can only watch so much. fair and balanced. unfortunately the mainstream media around the world is nowhere near fair and balanced. [applause]

and. >> we donates a book to a local elementary school on behalf of our speech here. this month we do the rebels john and tom would be a good one. >> they give. it is very kind. >> thank you ladies and gentlemen.ntors" >> and next author here ishis kareem abdul-jabbar whose p latest project is the children's book what color is my world? >> it has its roots in a t did in 1996 which

was the overview of black t history in america. i focused on vladimir that invented the filament.. it is in checking out why itfert different inventors did it may be aware there are a lot of black inventors people the dino anything about. i figured i would do a bookto tl on and mentors related to children because most and not aware. >> host: most seemed to be aware of gaming and videos. >> i think a book has ability to reach on different levels than games.

it is a lot more inam depth and random access. they could go to any part physically.ut te >> host: let me show that. i am sure you spend a lot ofphyt time deciding how to end the book how did they make the cut?ad to ith >> wanted to pick people that did things that were noad important to everyday life. through refrigeration that now you can ship food around the world that was the 80 of first of by a black american. all of the inventions of affected our life. lightbulb is obvious but

there are so many more.i ther would get the lives of have livs been saved because of blood typing and the blood bank. very important for all of our lives most people do not understand black americans were crucial to figure this out. >> host: even the super soakers? >> so many kids play with it and they are not aware who invented it. and is such an important aspect and dr. thomas worked out the template most people better doing 3d are using for that application. >> host: our programs are

interactive. this is your seventh book? thek first one since 1983.weelce we y welcome your questions right thing and hi his book projects and whatto hip life as another is like. we will also take yourand e-mail.ok there was only one woman. wh dwight is that? >> we picked dr. thomas because what she did was those it never get. of course, there are others but a significant invention occurs stood out as the most practical. >> host: the concept of the book kids that are part of the story are you

targeting african-american readers? >> i was sent >> wasn'american alone but i thought since they came from the african-american though community and would focus on that it is crucial we reach minority kids. c so many today would you ask if they want to be will name the athlete or entertainer.thin is such a wide variety that young people can do today tossae make a scientific it contribution to american life. into recognize something meaningful. >> host: you talk to kids with this message that there are revenuessps besides

intertwined days to demand sports which is ironic with the initial claim to fame is boards. >> rican point* two my ownou goa life. athletics to not last forever. i can be an author and asn't lae publicve speaker having to do with what i learned in school. knowledge and power givess the ability to do what you want to do. that i want to make sure people get the message. >> host: the first call is from baltimore. >> caller: i am surprised and made it through. is an honor to even talk to you. i am putting it on my facebook. how you feel about more evrican americanser with theon

nba? would do you ever want to be the head coach for the l.a.rd lakers? and my third question, couldd yo you tell the who yourfavori afrn favorite african-american is? thank you so much. >> guest: my favorite inventor between lois lar and latimer schultz. what they did for people was so significant all the way around the world. lewis letter, by doing alexander graham bell's application drawings, he was right there at the salvation of telecommunication and electronics. also because of what he did with illumination and these are important things all around the world. modern lights would not be able to exist without artificial

lighting. i think that his invention is very important. doctor charles has saved so many lives and impacted so many lives because of the knowledge that we have through the science of blood typing. again, this is a very important contribution worldwide. i think and i hope that answers your questions. sorry don't have time to answer all three. >> let's move on to charlotte in south bend, indiana. >> yes, hello. what an honor it is to talk to you. i wonder if you talk about the book you wrote about the buffalo soldiers and the significance of the buffalo soldiers to american history reign. >> well, i think the industry of buffalo soldiers is important to american history because the westward experience of our nation was a key element in to us becoming a world power. we could not have done that if

we had not been able to utilize all of the land that the united states is comprised of. in order to do this, it took people to go out and map the roads, telegraph lines, and explored the best places to live and everything. all of this was accompanied by our armed forces, the u.s. cavalry and infantry. buffalo soldiers were key elements of that effort. i think that when people find out about the efforts of the buffalo soldiers, they appreciate more about how we became a great nation, and all of this happened right after the civil war right up until the end of the 20th century. >> many of your titles, all of them are biographies.

they tell stories about people. why are you attracted to people stories? >> i think that people stories are important because most people don't envision black americans doing things that everyone else does. when you see their stories, which are just like anyone else's story, you get an idea of our common humanity and understanding that these are fellow citizens. they are not exotic creatures. they are fellow citizens and trying to do the same things to help make this a great nation. >> your hope is obviously to influence individual young people. who is the biggest influence on you? >> i would have to say in so many ways, jackie robinson. i was a baseball fan when i was a kid. jackie robinson was also a role model in other ways. my mom always pointed out that he was very intelligent and

articulate. he went to ucla. he ended up going to do ucla. >> you are on the campus of usc. >> we won't get excited about that. so much of what he did with his life was an example. after his sports career, he became a businessman. a very successful businessman. he pointed out things and with regard to economics that black americans needed to know about. he was very -- very much a wall model and mentor in many of the aspects of his life. >> that's call from our viewing audience is lisa in nashville. caller: thank you for taking my call. i love c-span 2 and "book tv." mr. kareem abdul-jabbar, it is such an honor to talk you into here about the book you have written. i knew you were an author, but i did not realize how many books you have written. what was the title of your first book and how do you decide on the subjects of iraq's?

>> the title of my first book was a giant steps. it is my biography. i'm a pretty tall person, i take long steps. that's how i got the title of my book. but i choose my subject matter with regards to how to impact people and explain things about american life that a lot of people are not really aware of. >> raymond is your partner on books. how does your partnership were? >> bremen and i worked together in great ways. -- we sit down and work together and defined areas that we want to touch on. i will give him notes, and he will write some of the things that i want to say. if he has captured my voice on it, then we go back and forth.

i rewrite things to give him things to edit and vice versa. >> is writing easy for you or is it a real labor? >> writing is a labor for everybody. you have to really have a real set purpose to be a writer. the longer i do it, the easier it gets. >> next question for you is from jane and calabasas, california. i'm sorry, first jane in new york city. >> that afternoon. i appreciate you. you raised the question of of only one woman being in the book. you did not answer that question and i would like to revisit it. my concern is that there is only one woman. there are several women

inventors. why out of all african american inventors fair, white is there only one -- why is there only one -- and all only one -- and all the ones we did during black history month, okay, joy, thanks. >> the ones that we were able to work fine, -- the ones we were able to find, of course, there could be a book on women inventors. all the other ones we thought were significant and we didn't want to exclude women. so we made sure that we had our women's invention. the woman whose future.

>> you are also very involved in education, which is a big effort to get science technology and math and engineering and the like. is this in concert without ever? >> yes, i think that is a fact that all the people that are heroes in this book, they are mathematicians and engineers and, a chemist and other people involved in science. it really is a key issue in what is talked about with regard to education. so many young people don't understand that those subjects are the ones that will be the key for us having a job in the 21st century. it will be very technologically oriented with regard to the positioning for good jobs. people with good math and science backgrounds will be able to find jobs in many areas, and

that is a key issue for any young people who are thinking about going to college and trying to pursue higher education and. >> it is time for jane now in calabasas. >> did you attend a catholic high school in new york city? >> yes, i did. i attended an academy. it is closed now, but i graduated in 1965. >> are you so they're? >> didn't have an influence on you? >> i was wondering why the question. >> my high school definitely had an influence on me. it helped me understand what the fundamentals are and foundations of education. i know a lot of my friends went to school where they could take shop and stuff like that. you could not do it at my school. everything was academically oriented.

>> julie in birmingham, alabama. probably the last. caller: hello? >> yes, go ahead, please. to . caller: julie, are you there? to yes, i am there be not. caller: i think that your book is a wonderful thing. it is a great idea. the reasons behind it are very important, and i just wanted to say thank you for writing the book. >> thank you very much. i hope you enjoy it, and i hope you get a chance to talk to your friends and let them know that there are some great types of information in here for young people and what the deal with. >> that was a nice way to end our segment with kareem abdul-jabbar. or is the book. "what color is my world: the lost history of african-american inventors." as we closer, you just accepted a request from secretary clinton

to be an ambassador, cultural ambassador. he just started that. what is the job going to be? >> the job entails me going and speaking to people, selects -- select groups in young countries and emphasizing the value of education and giving them an insight into what life in america is all about. >> have you done any chance you? >> i have done a trip to brazil. it went very well. i had a great time. i had great interactions with the people that i met with. >> thank you for interacting with the c-span aud

>> i want to begin by telling you a story about

strom thurmond. when you do research in south carolina and tell them strom thurmond. they will tell you, let me tell you is story. you cannot throw a stone without hitting somebody who has a great story. he did something for them or they saw him do something crazy. my story begins late july 1992. i'm on a flight from washington d.c. to charlotte north carolina. i was an intern that summer on capitol hill. one of my regrets i never have seen strom thurmond that he has such an unusual appearance. i did not know what they

meant. on the flight in front of me i see a man who who has orange colored hair with the first generation. to show you how slow i am i thain that is what strom thurmond said must look like. i knew that once people were trying to shake his hand. i wanted to shake his hand. i bet to all the politicians. it was a thrill. i was to go home to speak to the rotary club. i wanted to tell them the people i had met. i tried to shake his hand but then there were people already lined up. i did not get in line. i was not a constituent, i

have nothing to say. to be honest, i was self-conscious, it was a busy airport. i was waiting to meet demand best known for his segregation terrain. i thought it would be good enough to say i saw him. i am conflicted. i looked back everyone had dispersed here is the 89 year-old man that has a briefcase in one hand and a travel bag and another and shuffling down the airport. without thinking i a introduce myself. i would be happy to help you get to your next flight. he said day have time? so we walked together.

i was trying to make conversation. i told him about the people i had met this summer. he said nice things about his colleagues for pro i told him i had a girlfriend from source the -- south carolina and made a comment about the girls. he got to his flight to. i shook his hand and that was it. i have thought about the story law. it is a metaphor for the difficulty had. there is a challenge to vase. there is no straightforward way of a figure that is as controversial. sometimes wonder if this is

not a way to carry his baggage. goodness knows, he has some. the other challenge was to fight the urge to not simply walk away to place walk away to place himself in position. with living breathinguman being. what i wanted to do is to write a history of strom thurmond america. in a critical and dispassionate way touche beach of our on america's, to have a measure of reason to these issues that embroil politics today.

that is the goal. that is the mission. what are the issues of the strom thurmond history speaks to? a lot of us remember who he was. the 1948 dixiecrat presidential candidate. strom thurmond was a lead author of the 19567 manifesto, the protest of the supreme court decision brown verses education. he is a record holder to this day. 24 hours, 18 minutes he spoke against the 1957 civil-rights bill. he was one of the last jim crow demagogues.

what we forget about the was also one of the first of the sun belt conservatives and it is one of the major stories of 20th century politics. of jobs, industries and population the northeast and but west post-world war two. as saying right to work was and receiving funding for the federal government to build military installations. states like mississippi, georgia, arizon a, north carolina are transformed of the post

world war period. think about it. the period 1964 through 2008 could be thought of sunbelt dominance. every president elected comes from a state of the sun belt. nixon comment johnson, ford was not elected. he does not count. [laughter] carter, ronald reagan, the first george bush, 10, the second bush from texas. 2008 ended the 40 year period. it where issues that were critical to have a conservative cap to be

oriented to national defense and unions and also in the south and southwest we see the rise as the religious right the fundamental list of all voters involved in the important way. thurmond was at the forefront. he was a staunch anti-communist and played a role in the populist politics and the late fifties. and a key figure to oppose labor unions. even though early in the his career with advocates of south carolina the switches

in the '50s and '60s as a diehard supporter. then the addis conservative and evangelical politics. in 1950 he wins the votes in south carolina. bob jones just moved his university and thurman needed votes. that began along process and relationship with conservative fundamentalist and evangelical looking to get involved. we need to understand the racial politics amidst the issues he was very involved with.

to do so gives a history of was strom thurmond america looks like. not only going it on in the south with the national conservative from. it helped us think history of modern conservatism of. mitt all may remember as the cartoonist ratio at -- racist figure from the south. >> you're watching booktv on c-span2. on location in las vegas at bally's hotel four freedomfest. of the annual event organized by this off there. mark, what is freedomfest? how did it come about?

>> it is a renaissance gathering talk politics, philosophy, econom ics, science, technology, re ligion, healthy living. we get to a wide group, an investment conference conference, investors comment concerned citizens with a focus on political, economic and financial freedom. it is growing. we're bigger every year. 2,000 people are here. we're growing next year we will move to caesars palace with a larger facility and this team is are we roehm? it will be a controversial topic. >> host: is is sponsored by the libertarian party? are you libertarian? >> guest: i a hate labels i say treat everyone as an individual with a different

point* of view. we don't like political labels. i guess libertarian is the closest thing to identify me. freedomfest is not connected to any political party. for-profit corporation vivianne by all nonprofit think tanks, freedom organizations, qaeda oh, reason and common heritage come of remarks come americans for prosperity. we don't compete with them. a single price of $500 per person. three-- intellectual discussions to of fun city. it is cool. >> host: what is your background? >> a group in portland oregon. i am an active form in. i went on a mission for the mormon church and then

graduated from byu and worked for the cia. i broke out into the financial world. then got married, five children, moved to the bahamas for two years then moved to london we days after recent enough money and the investment newsletter is my primary source of them come that i have written since 1980. one flood in the academic world writing books on economics, business, columbi a, and now mercy college. that is a summary. also my a wife does the film testable. we have things that we do. we enjoy it. >> host: what did you do for the cia?

>> guest: good question. i was an economist and involved with commodities and the energy crisis. the cia was too bureaucratic for me. i wanted to break out so i got involved with the financial revolution to the financial editor of the inflation survival letter now called personal finance. my own newsletter forecast and strategies, i started it when reagan was elected. it has been a great ride. . .

because my final chapter is dr. smith goes to washington, the triumph of free-market economics and of course that was a little premature considering what has happened since 2008, so we had to revise that final chapter especially. >> how was this book organize? >> well, initially what i try to do peter was create an alternative to robert howe

berner's popular book the philosophers and i kind of wish i had that title because it's such a great title. it's the story of the great economic thinkers starting with adam smith, covering karl marx and milton friedman and all that sort of thing but how the perspective -- his fame rests -- favorite economists were marks, keynes all pro-government activist status whatever you want to call them. my perspective was more wanted a more balanced approach and so i wanted to highlight the free-market thinkers and what their role was and in fact the heroic thinker in my book is adam smith, the founder of modern economics and so i discovered by making adam smith the central character of my book and his theme of his system of natural liberty which is what he called it in the wealth of nations, i was able to actually tell a story so this book is actually a story. it has a plot, and the plot is

how adam smith and his system of natural liberty retreated over time, how it came under attack by the marxists, by the bad lands, the keynesians and so on but how they were resurrected and brought back to life and even improved upon by the other schools of economics, the austrian school and the chicago school of economics, milton friedman, hayek and so forth. so it is really a unique -- i think i've done something really unique and why this book is very popular and that is because i make it a real story with a heroic figure who try and send and and is a true american story because they adam smith motto is the model that i see as the ideal. >> who was lewdly funny sq xp ludwig von mises was the premier austrian economists of the 20th century, and he taught

initially at the university of vienna. he was jewish so he left during world war ii and came to america and his economics became more popular during that time period not. never as popular as milton friedman but certainly as a heroic figure in my book with the austrian school. one of his, not students but one of his close associates, friedrich hayek, won the nobel prize in economics and 74 so he is an important character in my book. >> when i talk about the austrian school, what is it? >> the austrian school is one of two major free-market schools of economics. the other school is the chicago school with milton friedman and george stiegler developed in the 60's and this is a more hard-core school that advocates the gold standard, is very suspicious of intervention like

central banks, particularly the business cycle is really important because they save them the manipulation of interest rates by the federal reserve can only have disastrous effects creating a boom-bust cycle that is unsustainable or a boom that is unsustainable that inevitably will lead to a crash so it didn't surprise austrian economist at the real estate boom could not last and had these macroeconomic effects. >> you also teach about paul sweezy who was not a member of the austrians. >> no, not at all and in fact i have a big chapter called march madness, plunging economics into a new dark age. each chapter has -- i try to create these clever titles and for milton it is milton's paradigm -- paradise. but there is paul sweezy and paul sweezy was a marxist economy that taught at harvard

university and an austrian economist defended having paul sweezy there at harvard to teach there and finally he gets kicked out and started his own monthly, think it was called the monthly review or something like that, a publication to defend socialism and marxism and he got albert einstein to write the very first issue. it's kind of like getting marilyn monroe to pose for the first issue of "playboy" so he was up early at man who died a few years ago hina -- kind of the representative of the marxist academic toward the. as i point out the marxists have the similar views to the austrians in one respect. both schools are very pessimistic about the future. in the case of paul sweezy, the twilight of capitalism. marxists are constantly rewriting that title that

capitalism about to collapse at any time and the austrians have the same thing. the boom and the economic them that we just cannot last and it must end in a crash or depression or what have you. i'm a little bit more optimistic. i am more of the chicago school in that sense, milton friedman which i have a major chapter on, is an optimist and so i mike. i'm much more of an optimistic lever in our country and the way economics is taught. >> is there if it contemporary milton freedom or lithwick von mises or hayek in the world? >> that is a good question. certainly -- as a modern-day austrian. he is probably one of the more popular, but he is a finance guy. he is not really an academic. from the chicago school, of

course that would be gary becker but he is getting up there in age. he must be 80 years of age so as far as young people that are coming up, maybe some people at the george mason university which is a hotbed of austrian economics and public choice economics. there are young people that are coming up but i'm not sure there is anyone really have that stature who is writing columns for "the new york times" and so forth. thomas sowell writes but again he is in his 80s, so you know, it is hard to say. my book is one of the more popular textbooks now and so i teach and so forth. i've been on the tv shows and stuff, so maybe i'm playing a little bit of a roll but friedman always said that he

stood on the shoulders of giants as isaac newton said and i feel the same way. i have then affected so much from all of the great economists who have come before me. >> mark skousen you said you teach. where you currently teaching at? >> at? >> i am actually teaching at mercy college at the penitentiary believe it or not. i was teaching at columbia university and teaching the best and the brightest but i will tell you what, i teach in a maximum-security prison. they are all males, 25 students in economics and business and they have incredible thirst for knowledge. it's unbelievable how these men who been in prison, who have committed serious crimes in their youth, now i've tried have tried to turn their lives around. i have had students at sing sing who have read the entire textbook before coming to class and i couldn't say that -- some of my students at columbia but certainly not all of them. so i'm teaching that. my wife teaches english

literature at sing sing. it is a four-year college degree program, all privately funded except for the prison itself so there are no pell grants, no federal or state money at all. we have a nonprofit called hudson link that deals with that and my son has made a film called the 0%. that will be a nationwide tv soon that actually describes the whole sing sing education program. >> what is that experience like? >> well i will tell you, it is such an emotional, thrilling, rewarding experience both for my wife and i, to teach these young men and some of them older people, who have committed heinous crimes, murder or what have you, see the error of their ways and turn things around and

that education process as well as the ministry program that is extremely important. there is nothing like the graduation ceremony. they always bring in a major name of one sort. warren buffett was there a few years ago. his sister as a matter of fact is a major supporter of hudson lang.nonprofit organization so you go to this graduation ceremony and it's just incredible. first of all, there is no separation of church and state. they have opening and closing prayers. they hold bibles or programs or what have you to ecumenical in that respect but they always have a valedictorian get up representing the graduates and there are usually 20 yards 30 students are graduating. they are getting an associates degree or a master's degree. the valedictorian gets up and says you know i started off, my parents were my mother had great

hopes for me but in my got into the wrong crowd and i got into drugs or what have you and then he says, and then i killed a man. and i mean even though you know they are in their for murder or what have you, it's still a shock to everybody. but then he describes how the educational ministry program transformed his life and how they feel like they are new citizens and what is exciting about this program and what is getting the notoriety and when my son was able to do this movie, 0%, was because 0%, something like 60 of the students have less sing sing, graduated and left sing sing. most of them are in prison but for those who have left not a single one has returned. the national recidivism rate of returning to prison is over 60%. so this is a great positive story. we hear of all the stories about how bad the criminal justice

system men and here is one that is worked in units all privately funded. i think it's a great libertarian story. >> do you stay in touch with any of your students that have gotten out? >> yes and as a matter-of-fact hudson lang does an annual meeting with the donors as well as the people, the inmates who have since left so we get to see them and communicate with them and see what they are doing. they all have jobs. this is the eyed sighting thing. in a market where jobs are really scarce, they'll have jobs. they have gone through jail and they have been through this life, really tough life but now they can come out and say, look what i've accomplished. i have a bachelor's degree. i graduated from college and most of these guys don't even graduate from high school and they end up in trouble like this. so it's a great experience. the graduation ceremony and staying in touch with these people. my wife in particular is in this

film and talks a lot about how she teaches and it's just you can tell from my enthusiasm about the program. >> mark skousen do you have a follow up to the making of modern economics are ruining it all? >> well, in terms of writing a book, another book, i just completed a book called the maxim of wall street which is the first compilation of all the the -- on wall street. warren buffett like to. i sent a copy and i find out why he's likes it. he is quoted more than anyone else in the book. i just finished that and i'm working on a book a little bit like david mccullough called spirit 1776 and it solved the defense that took place internationally in the year 1776 from thomas paine's common sense to the wealth of nations by